Subject: Diversity: trading the VAX?
To: None <port-vax@netbsd.org>
From: Gunther Schadow <gunther@aurora.regenstrief.org>
List: port-vax
Date: 06/18/2001 20:12:57
Hi,

you'll remember the rescuing of the 4 VAX 6000 from my workplace.
Since last word I got from Buck was that he probably doesn't get
the machine down his basement, and as I read on, somehow my love
for these machines ovecame me. People have 7.5 vaxen in their home 
average, so why should I have only one? Love or greed?  Well, 
call it as you want, but I would now prefer to trade that machine 
rather than just giving it away. I'm still in the process of restoring
it to stand alone capability. Right now it isn't running because
it's lacking one working blower, but somehow I'll get that fixed. 
I don't need 2 VAXen of the same kind, so I'd like to trade it against 
some other VAX. May well be slower, what I care about is a nice 
diversity. Here is details:

You get: VAX 6000/420 (sic! 2 processors) 128 MB RAM (or more),
VAXBI has TKB70, KDB50 (hopefully soon with cab-kit), CI bus,
DEBNT. Depending how things turn out, the cabinet will be loaded
with DSSI and/or SDI disks in the machine. I don't have all the
pieces together yet, but I spent some money on some parts and 
am still gathering others. In any way it'll be a decent system.
I'll buy a KLESI-B for it if it provides incentives.

I ask: potentially anything but a VAX station (I don't want a
machine that looks like a desktop PC.) In the order of preference:

- PDP-8  (I know that's not realistic, but I'll try anyway :-)
- VAX 11/78x (or lookalike from the 8xxx series.)
- VAX 4000/500 or /600
- MicroVax II or III, provided it is in the larger cabinet.
- any VAX that stands on the floor.

VAX should have a CI interface (because I want to build a cluster)
or at least I should be able to buy a CI interface somewhere not
too expensive.

The genral rule is to match processor for processor and RAM for RAM, 
disk for disk, but not necessarily in 1:1 ratio. The higher up in the
preference list you are, the less does the detail matter I.e., having 
another 2 processor machine would be nice, but a 11/780 is good with 
anything.

I'd also consider things like HSC or TU81 depening on how the market
is. Transport arrangements for the exchange are negotiable. You have
ample time to think about this because I have not finished the 
restoration yet.

Thanks,
-Gunther


-- 
Gunther Schadow, M.D., Ph.D.                    gschadow@regenstrief.org
Medical Information Scientist      Regenstrief Institute for Health Care
Adjunct Assistant Professor        Indiana University School of Medicine
tel:1(317)630-7960                         http://aurora.regenstrief.org